National Bike to Work Day: 5 benefits of biking instead of driving

Thursday

Pull out those helmets — May 17 is Bike to Work Day, where we're all encouraged to ditch the car and start pedaling. But there's a case to be made for biking to work more than once a year.

Here are five benefits to biking to work.

1. Get in a workout on your commute.

While there's no way to tell exactly how many calories you'll burn — that depends on speed, length of ride and other factors — it's definitely more than sitting in your car.

2. Avoid the traffic.

Ever looked at your evening commute and thought, "Wow, I can walk home faster than this," then biking might be the perfect solution. You still have to follow normal traffic laws, but can also get around much easier in bike lanes and other shortcuts.

3. Exercise makes you happy.

While you might not be as happy right in the middle of a workout, it's been proven that exercise improves your overall mood and stress levels (even more so than money apparently). Biking to work is an easy way to do this.

4. Save money on gas.

Your legs are the power, and your legs are free. If you're looking to save a few bucks, biking to work even a couple days a week can definitely stretch your dollars.

5. Help the planet.

Speaking of not using gas, biking to work has great environmental benefits. According to The Clean Air Council, motor vehicles contribute 31% of total carbon dioxide released in the U.S. Bikes, of course, don't do that.

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